News • Children's Food Campaign
Food campaigners welcome Government's 'no compromise' on school food
Campaigners for the Children's Food Bill today welcomed the Government's announcement on improving the quality of food in schools.
Campaigners for the Children's Food Bill today welcomed the Government's announcement on improving the quality of food in schools.
Richard Watts, Campaign Coordinator for the Children's Food Bill, said: “We are very pleased the Government is taking a 'no compromise' attitude on food in School. Today's announcement is a great step forward to improve children's diets.”
He continued: “But, on their own, these measures are not enough to defuse the time bomb of childhood obesity. We now need to take steps to stop kids wanting to eat junk food in the first place. The Government needs to extend it's “no compromise” attitude to the marketing of junk food at children. The best way to do this would be to protect children from junk food TV adverts before 9pm.”
All press enquiries should be directed to:
Richard Watts, Sustain: Tel: 0203 5596 777 (work); 07710 782719 (mobile); email: richard@sustainweb.org
NOTES TO EDITORS
1) Alan Johnson said today in the DfES press release: “The health of our young people is not an area for compromise.”
2) Ofcom are currently consulting on a series of option to restrict junk food advertising on TV. All of the Ofcom are consulting on are weak and will not give kids the protection form junk marketing they need. Health and consumer groups believe that junk food adverts should be banned from TV before the 9pm watershed.
3) The Children's Food Bill calls for:
• protecting children from the marketing of unhealthy food and drink products
• improving standards to ensure that all school meals are healthy
• banning the sale of unhealthy food and drinks from school vending machines
• teaching food education and practical food skills, such as cooking and growing, to all children
• ensuring the government promotes healthy foods, like fruit and vegetables, to children
It was presented to Parliament by Mary Creagh, Member of Parliament for Wakefield, on Wednesday 22 June 2005. The Bill will return to Parliament in June this year.
4) 161 national organisations already support Sustain's campaign for the Children's Food Bill to become law. This list includes many prominent medical, health and consumer organisations, professional associations and children's charities – the full list is available from: www.sustainweb.org/child_sup.asp
286 MPs from all parties who have confirmed their support for the Children's Food Bill by signing the Children's Food Early Day Motion, EDM 378. For a list please see: http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=28588&SESSION=875
Richard Watts, Campaign Coordinator for the Children's Food Bill, said: “We are very pleased the Government is taking a 'no compromise' attitude on food in School. Today's announcement is a great step forward to improve children's diets.”
He continued: “But, on their own, these measures are not enough to defuse the time bomb of childhood obesity. We now need to take steps to stop kids wanting to eat junk food in the first place. The Government needs to extend it's “no compromise” attitude to the marketing of junk food at children. The best way to do this would be to protect children from junk food TV adverts before 9pm.”
All press enquiries should be directed to:
Richard Watts, Sustain: Tel: 0203 5596 777 (work); 07710 782719 (mobile); email: richard@sustainweb.org
NOTES TO EDITORS
1) Alan Johnson said today in the DfES press release: “The health of our young people is not an area for compromise.”
2) Ofcom are currently consulting on a series of option to restrict junk food advertising on TV. All of the Ofcom are consulting on are weak and will not give kids the protection form junk marketing they need. Health and consumer groups believe that junk food adverts should be banned from TV before the 9pm watershed.
3) The Children's Food Bill calls for:
• protecting children from the marketing of unhealthy food and drink products
• improving standards to ensure that all school meals are healthy
• banning the sale of unhealthy food and drinks from school vending machines
• teaching food education and practical food skills, such as cooking and growing, to all children
• ensuring the government promotes healthy foods, like fruit and vegetables, to children
It was presented to Parliament by Mary Creagh, Member of Parliament for Wakefield, on Wednesday 22 June 2005. The Bill will return to Parliament in June this year.
4) 161 national organisations already support Sustain's campaign for the Children's Food Bill to become law. This list includes many prominent medical, health and consumer organisations, professional associations and children's charities – the full list is available from: www.sustainweb.org/child_sup.asp
286 MPs from all parties who have confirmed their support for the Children's Food Bill by signing the Children's Food Early Day Motion, EDM 378. For a list please see: http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=28588&SESSION=875
Published Wednesday 24 May 2006
Children's Food Campaign: Better food and food teaching for children in schools, and protection of children from junk food marketing are the aims of Sustain's high-profile Children's Food Campaign. We also want clear food labelling that can be understood by everyone, including children.
